Efforts To Achieve SDGs

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an important global initiative to end poverty, reduce inequality, and preserve the environment. As a developing nation facing numerous challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and political instability, Nepal is struggling to achieve this ambitious set of global goals. Our government has included the SDGs in its national development programmes, but they cannot be achieved without the cooperative effort of all stakeholders, including governments at different levels, civil society organisations, the private sector, and citizens.

These goals aim to reduce poverty, ensure access to better health and education services, work towards gender equality, promote clean water and energy, provide decent work opportunities, and ultimately make the world a more sustainable place. The Nepal government is making strides in its efforts to achieve these goals. The government has come up with a number of programmes intended to help realise SDGs, such as the National Sustainable Development Objectives Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals Needs Assessment.

Our administration has prioritised SDG implementation in accordance with Nepal's commitment to the United Nations, which adopted the SDGs in 2015 to ensure a sustainable future for the humanity. Even our constitution contains several SDG issues to ensure that all Nepalis can enjoy their fundamental rights to a better life. The government is aware of this reality and, as a result, has included the SDGs in the budget and the 14th National Development Plan, and the current 15th Plan has been prepared in accordance with the SDGs. Because the government cannot achieve the SDGs' target alone, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda', during his address to the SDG National Steering Committee on Friday, emphasised the importance of collaboration, coordination, and cooperation among the federal, provincial, and local governments, the private sector, civil society, the non-government sector, and development partners to reach SDGs objectives.

 According to PM Prachanda, Nepal has achieved considerable success in poverty reduction, with multidimensional poverty falling to 17.3 per cent and net enrolment in schools reaching 95 per cent. People now have more access to health-care facilities. Power and energy development, road construction, and inequality reduction have all increased. This is solid evidence that our country has achieved considerable progress towards achieving SDG objectives.

As the government prepares to present a new budget, the SDG issues and topics will almost certainly find a place in it. However, the government has a long way to go to fully obtain the SDG objectives. However, if it follows some steps, it would make meeting the SDG objectives simpler. To begin with, the government must demonstrate strong leadership by enacting policies and programmes that promote SDGs. This entails building efficient governance processes as well as guaranteeing openness and accountability. 

Additionally, because poverty and inequality are major barriers to sustainable development, our country must implement policies and programmes that address these issues, such as social protection programmes, access to basic services, and prioritising investments in human capital, particularly in marginalised and vulnerable groups, to ensure that everyone can participate in and benefit from the country's development. Furthermore, economic growth is necessary for long-term development, but it must be inclusive, egalitarian, and ecologically sustainable. Investing in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and eco-tourism are some potential ways to meet the SDG objective. Nepal is noted for its abundant biodiversity and natural resources, and it needs to tighten environmental policies and regulations, encourage sustainable land use and conservation practises, and invest in climate adaptation measures. All these examples make it clear that SDGs require partnerships and collaboration across sectors and stakeholders, for which the government is currently working.